Mac Olsen
Express Staff
The St. Isidore Centre Culturel was the scene of a big celebration on April 28, as the Plein Soleil dance group marked 40 years.
The Zéphyr dance group, based in Edmonton, performed for the event and folk music and square dancing were part of it. It took place in the evening and Marie Lindsay, the president of the museum at the St. Isidore Centre Culturel, is pleased with how it went.
“People danced until midnight,” says Lindsay. “It was great.”
A wine-and-cheese event was part of the festivities.
As per the Zéphyr dance group’s Facebook page, « La troupe de danse Zéphyr base son répertoire sur la danse canadienne-française et la gigue de haut niveau. Zéphyr présente une image dynamique et actuelle de la culture franco-albertaine. »
Earlier in the day, the public was invited to see the museum’s collections. Lindsay has been working for a long time to build up the collections, including the St. Isidore residents’ stories.
“It’s a small museum, but the big thing is our stories – how the Francophone people contributed to this area. We’re proud of it.”
Also, earlier in the day, a special exhibition was held in the St. Isidore senior centre ‘Le Club du Bon Temps.’ Previously, a group of seniors worked on jigsaw puzzles and 10 students at École des Quatre-Vents in Peace River wrote poems, after two hours working at the school, with a senior and asking questions that related to the puzzles.
Jeanne-D’arc Mailloux, the president of the Club du Bon temps, explains that this project was meant to have the different age groups work together. The school work was directed by M. François Bergeron as the French course teacher.
“It’s good for everybody to work together,” she says. “The poems were beautiful.”
This is the first year for this project and Mailloux hopes that it will become an annual event.
“Having that school work exhibition, we decided to add people from the community showing thing they do as a hobby. What a surprise to discover the talent of everyone. Seventeen people participated in that, as well as five from the Villa Beauséjour in Falher.”
The St. Isidore Centre Culturel also hosts their annual Winter Carnaval each year, during the Family Day long weekend in February. For more information about the centre culturel, go to their website, http://mightypeace.com/places/arts-culture/st-isidore-cultural-centre-hall.
